The invention relates to a loading machine, particularly for drying installations for coated sheets or sheet metal phtes, with circulating chain conveyors with two roller chains, which are at a distance from one another and the links of which in each case are connected by bars, which bridge the distance between roller chains, stand up at an angle to the chains and which in the inlet region form chambers, which open up in wedge-shaped fashion from deflection gears at the ends for inserting sheets or sheet metal plates essentially horizontally.
Such loading machines, with the help of which the coated sheets or sheet metal plates, which arrive consecutively on horizontal conveyors, can be inserted individually into the chambers between in each case two bars, so that they can be dried in a drying or stoving installation without damage to the coated surface, have previously been constructed basically so that, behind the deflection gears, the roller chains rise at an angle on a straight path, pass around further deflection rollers and go over into the horizontal path within the drying installation. As a result, immediately after the roller chains leave the deflection gears, the bars, which initially fan out in wedge fashion in the deflection region, reach the intended position, in which they are inclined rehfive to the roller chains. In this position, all bars run parallel to one another. Consequently, the bars are swiveled in a short transition section from their open position, in which they are inclined to one another, into this parallel position. As a result, the bars come to oscillate and the sheets or sheet metal plates, lying on such bars, frequenfiy are flung away and come into contact with the preceding bar, which can lead to damage to the coated surface.